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Download Chapter 4 Lesson 1 The Sumerians The First Civilizations in
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Chapter 4 Lesson 1 The Sumerians The First Civilizations in Mesopotamia -‐located near water and fertile land -‐had social classes -‐developed systems of values and beliefs The Two Rivers -‐Mesopotamia-‐earliest known civilization -‐means “the land between the rivers” -‐located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers -‐located in the Fertile Crescent Early Valley Dwellers -‐believe people first settled here in 7000 B.C. (hunters and herders) -‐4000 B.C. began farming villages Taming the Rivers -‐little rain in the summer left water levels low -‐during spring river would flood, sometimes washing away crops, homes, and livestock -‐silt, fertile soil, was left after a flood -‐overtime learned to build dams and dug canals for their fields -‐irrigation-‐system that supplies dry land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams -‐surplus, extra amount, of food -‐surplus of food allowed people to specialize in other areas. -‐villages grew into cities in Sumer, a region in southern Mesopotamia Sumer’s Civilization -‐Sumer’s people were Sumerians -‐built cities of Ur, Uruk, and Eridu -‐controlled lower part of the valley City-‐States Arise -‐city-‐states, city that governs itself and its surrounding territory, were spread apart -‐area was arid -‐made it difficult to communicate, became independent -‐each city-‐state had own government -‐had a wall built around them for protection -‐times of peace and war Gods, Priests, and Kings -‐worshipped many gods -‐polytheism-‐belief in more than one god -‐believed some gods had power over nature or guided what they did -‐ziggurat-‐pyramid-‐shaped structure with a temple at the top -‐priest of ziggurat ruled the city-‐state -‐Sumerian kings claimed they received their powers to rule from the city’s god -‐first king probably war hero -‐hereditary, son took over when king died Social Groups -‐generally people remained in social classes into which they were born -‐upper class -‐kings, priests, warriors, and government officials -‐middle class -‐largest class -‐merchants, farmers, fishers, artisans -‐lower class -‐enslaved people -‐men were head of the home, boys went to school -‐women ran the home, daughters learned to do the same Farmers and Traders -‐most were farmers -‐wheat, barley, dates -‐raised sheep, goats, pigs -‐merchants went to other lands to trade -‐traded for timer, minerals ,and metals Sumerian Contributions -‐beginning of organized human society Writing -‐earliest known writing system -‐cuneiform-‐writing system that used wedge-‐shaped marks made in soft clay -‐boys of wealthy families only learned how to read and write -‐after years of training they became scribes-‐official record keepers -‐oldest story is an epic, long poem of a hero Technology and Mathematics -‐first to use the wheel -‐built first carts developed the chariot -‐sailboat -‐plow for fields -‐potter’s wheel -‐make bronze out of copper or tin -‐studied math and astronomy -‐used star position for planting crops -‐made 12 month calendar based off of the moon
